CORRECTION: Man charged with sex acts with a Santa Clarita minor

Corrects city of origin for alleged victim, suspect

After allegedly arranging to meet a teen in Santa Clarita for sex, a 44-year-old Anaheim man was instead greeted by Special Victims Bureau investigators, who arrested him on suspicion of having an illegal yearlong relationship with the alleged victim, an investigator said Wednesday.

Now Jason Brett Walsh is facing 21 felony counts that could result in decades behind bars if convicted on all charges, said Sgt. Brian Hudson of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Victims Unit for the Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys.

Investigators believe Walsh met the girl, who is under 16, through Kikfriends.com, an online instant messaging service, about a year ago and “engaged in conversations with her that were sexual in nature,” Hudson said.

“He eventually arranged to meet the minor in Santa Clarita back in July,” the investigator said.

There was sexual contact between the two at that meeting, Hudson added.

Walsh’s arrest occurred after he allegedly arranged a second meeting with the girl on Aug. 21 in Santa Clarita.

Instead, the victim’s parents contacted authorities, who set up a sting and arrested Walsh in Santa Clarita, Hudson said.

Prosecutors have charged Walsh with contact with a minor for sexual offense; sending/bringing obscene material into the state for sale; sending harmful matter to a minor; possessing child pornography; meeting a minor for lewd purposes; oral copulation with a child under 18; sexual penetration with a foreign object; and using a minor for sex acts.

Each of the 21 counts carries a maximum sentence of four years in state prison. Walsh could get up to 60 years behind bars if he’s convicted on all counts and sentenced to the maximum penalties, Hudson said.

Walsh was being held Wednesday on $1.9 million bail, Hudson said.

Investigators don’t believe there were other victims in the case. Walsh has no prior criminal record, said Hudson.